1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to games, more particularly to card-type games that are suitable for use in gaming establishments, and more particularly to poker-type card games that are suitable for use in gaming establishments such as table games and as video games.
2. Background of the Art
Casinos and leisure establishments continually require new games to offer their clientele. Such games are generally required to enable each player to play against a banker (who usually also acts as dealer) provided by the casino, rather than against other players. Alternatively, in a “card room” game each player may have the option to act as banker, whilst the establishment runs the game on behalf of the banker and takes fees from the players.
Players typically enjoy games which can be played rapidly and which offer players a plurality of game play choices. A plurality of choices heightens player interest in games. It would therefore be desirable to provide card games comprising a plurality of new wagering options.
Let it Ride Bonus® Stud Poker, as disclosed in Breeding U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/495,149 filed on Jan. 31, 2000 entitled MULTI-TIERED WAGERING METHOD AND GAME, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference, describes a primary card game in which the player plays a 5 card poker game. In the base game, a player makes a three part wager on the occurrence of one of a number of predetermined winning hands. Each player is dealt three cards, and the dealer is also dealt three cards. One dealer card is discarded, and the other two cards are placed face down on the table. The dealer cards are community cards. That is, the cards are part of every player's hand on the table. Also, the players are not playing against the dealer's hand but are instead trying to achieve one of a predetermined number of winning hands. The player may withdraw a first portion of his bet after he has examined his partial three-card hand. The two community cards are used by each player to form a five card hand. After the dealer turns the first community card face up, the player is given the opportunity to withdraw a second portion of his bet. The third bet must remain at risk.
Standard five-card poker rankings are used to determine the hierarchy of payouts. The hands that pay (highest to lowest) in a typical LET IT RIDE® basic game are: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, and a pair. Each winning hand pays odds, and all winning outcomes and corresponding payout odds are listed in a pay table on the table felt. Optionally, the player can place a side bet on the occurrence of certain high ranking hands within the predetermined set of winning outcomes in the base game. Both the player cards and the dealer's common cards are used to define the player's hand and corresponding hand ranking in the side bet game. Players are required to make a multiple part bet, and can optionally withdraw part of the bet upon viewing some of the cards.
It would be desirable to provide a poker-style game with a simplified betting structure and dealing procedures that provides a player with sufficient betting options to maintain player interest, and follows the rules of poker, as poker rules are well known throughout the world. It would also be desirable to offer different dealing procedures and betting formats that appear more favorable to the player.